Punjab issues updated lockdown notification

According to the notification, wearing masks will be mandatory in all districts of the province. Intra-city public transport in Lahore, Rawalpindi, Multan, Faisalabad, Sargodha, Sialkot, Sheikhupura and Gujrat will remain closed whereas rail service will also run with 70% capacity.

As per the notification, 50% of the staff in all government and private offices will be allowed however all cinemas and shrines will also remain closed.

According To the Department of Primary and Secondary Health, restaurants, wedding halls and playgrounds will remain closed.

The notification further said that the district administration and the police would work together to ensure the implementation of the Corona SOPs.

The lockdown will be in effect from April 1 to April 11.

Earlier, Chief Minister Punjab Usman Buzdar presided over a meeting to review the coronavirus situation in the province.

Following the meeting, CM Punjab addressed a presser alongside Special Assistant to the Chief Minister on Information Dr Firdous Ashiq Awan and announced the new restrictions in the province to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

“All public parks and ban dine-in services have been banned at the restaurants and only take-away will be allowed. All markets and shopping malls will remain open only five days and close at 6 pm,” he said adding,

“Moreover, the services of Metro bus and Orange Line train have also been suspended in Lahore.”

The Punjab government has made wearing of face mask mandatory and a policy of micro smart lockdown will also be adopted.

Coronavirus is spreading at a rapid pace in major cities of Punjab, said CM Punjab adding that lockdown will be enforced in areas where the corona positivity rate is more than 12%.

The restrictions will come into force from April 1 and will remain in place until April 11.

The national positivity rate has been recorded at 11.20 per cent as Covid-19 cases across the country continue to soar, the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC) told on Monday.

Pakistan is experiencing the third wave of coronavirus which is said to be deadlier and more contagious than the previous two waves.

Around 4,525 cases of coronavirus were reported while 41 people succumbed to the disease in the last 24 hours, taking the total death toll to 14,256.  The total number of confirmed cases reached 659,116.

As many as 598,197 patients have recovered from the disease with 3,055 critical cases.